A109E Electrics

[heliski22]

Just going through a bit of aggravation with an otherwise very reliable A109E at the moment.

Began a few days ago with some funny errors showing on the IIDS within 10 mins of take-off. Basically, INV2 failure followed by Utility Hydraulic Pressure, #1 Servo Hydraulic Pressure, #1 Engine Oil Pressure and MRG Oil Pressure all fluctuating from Min to Max with no apparent real failures. Crew naturally went straight back to the hangar!

So far, maintenance has eliminated all the various "boxes" and displays and have narrowed it down to wiring associated with the Utility Hydraulics. Still looking, but may be damaged wiring inside the body of the aircraft.

Any thoughts or similar experiences anywhere?

[RVDT]

Been in proximity to water lately - heavy rain or washed?

[heema]

hi, heliski22

try over shoot the elctecal sys if no joy ask engineer to do it if no agusta will come whith an excaues for there mistake

[heliski22]

Still no joy, though the analysis is still dragging them towards a wiring snag - finding just where is proving to be lotsa fun!

Yes, it's been in and out of the rain - this is Northern Europe and maritime climate, rain is what we do here!!!!

In the week prior, it got a couple of good wettings while flying, it rarely gets left standing out in the rain.

Having said that, it's gotten good wettings before now and the worst(!) we've had is water dripping down from the ends of the GEN BUS switches!! Usually gets in past the base of the pitot tubes, they've been resealed several times but water at 160mph will get a pin-hole in some volume.

[heema]

hi heliski
IN THIS CASE YOU SHULD HAVE BOUT WATERRESISTANS HELICOPTER (THATS WHAT AGUSTA SAID TO ONE COSTMER WHEN THEY COMPLANE)
so ist a dry country heli

[heliski22]

Nothing to do with water, I'm afraid - that would have been too easy!

No, after some serious dismantling and accessing wiring looms in different places, the problem has been chased down to a breakdown in either four or five adjacent pins in a very big block connector (120 pins) on the right hand side above the aft electrics bay.

Very hard to get at, harder still to detect and there's no telling yet how long it'll take to get it sorted.

[BlenderPilot]

We had a FADEC switching into manual mode once every 10 hours or so, our Agusta guru Mr. Ramirez detected right away that the problem was that some big wire harness had been made with a certain material that had turned into a gelatin like substance with time, and that caused the FADEC signal to degrade, which in turn made it revert to manual.

How about switching harnesses do see if the failures go to the other side? Bear in mind I am no Eng.

Mr. Ramirez (Our Agusta Guru) is and has been in charge of at least 7 Agusta 109E for the past 7 years, so if something goes wrong with one of those things, he will know what it is. I will as him as soon as I see him, although that might be a while as he is now in NJ supervising the delivery of the first 139 in the country.

[spinwing]

Oh Come on ! ......

Surely you didn't expect the electrical fault to be found on a convenient place on the airframe ....did you?

:ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

:E